LILLIAN NSUBUGA: PASSING ON OF A CONSERVATION ICON

Uganda Wildlife Authority will never be the same again without Lillian Nakato Nsubuga who diligently and passionately served the authority for close to decade as a Public Relations Manager. Some referred to her as the UWA publicist, others as UWA spokesperson, conservation icon, voice of tourism, Love a Gorilla all of which described the amount of energy she selflessly exerted for the sake of the voiceless wildlife.

Popularly known by her former friends as Li Nsu especially at Watoto church, Kisaasi where she was a prominent member, the late Lillian who passed on, on 24th August, 2013, four days after her 44th birth day, left many in the conservation and tourism fraternity crest fallen.

UWA executive director Andrew Gunga Seguya said Nsubuga was so passionate about her job that helped to up lift UWA’s image and the country’s national parks. Her sister Florence Bwanika said she had all the reasons to speak on the side of the voiceless wild animals blaming man for all the crimes against them like over speeding in case of road kills and human encroachment on their habitats and corridors.

Mr Jimmy Serugo, one of Monitor Publications directors, described Nsubuga as an excellent publicist who responded to communication so easily and in a jolly way. “She was very active as a journalist in the then Monitor. She was courageous, didn’t fear any task and would deliver assignments on time,” he said. Ms Ester Nakkazi remembered her as a founder of the robust Environment Journalists Association of Uganda

Mr Christopher Nsubuga, said his daughter was dedicated to her work and did not deny God even at the last hour.

UWA staff of all cadres mourned the loss of a colleague, mentor, voice and an irreplaceable character. She went to Gayaza Junior School, Nabisunsa Girls SS and Wanyange SS before joining Makerere University in 1989 for a degree course in Mass communication. She later proceeded to the University of Bath where she did a Master’s degree in Development Studies.

She practiced journalism at the defunct Weekly Topic, the Daily Monitor and the East African while at UWA, she was the brain behind the Wildlife Link publications.